Kasumi's Guilt
by HimuraAlucard
Summary: AKanne's cooking brings Ranma closer to someone....


Kasumi's Guilt.  
  
By  
  
Himura Alucard  
  
Chapter 1  
  
This Fic is OCC and AU. It's just something I thought up of while taking a little poke of Akane's cooking skills. =) Also I was a little stuck in continuing Togetherness since I already had this done and in storage in my PC I just did a little (=p massive touch up) on it and hope you guyz would like it as you did the rest.I'm really surprised how well my R+K fics are doing. =) Thanks so much.For those who are waiting for Togetherness PartII please keep with me as my work load and stress level left me unable to write much.  
  
Standard stuff I don't own any of the characters here except the story. =)  
  
Onto the Fic.  
  
"Oh come on!!! Why does it always have to me to have the first go at it.!" shouted a voice deep within the Tendo household walls. The voice that was ringing out its displeasure belonged to a certain Saotome Ranma who was being faced with a test greater then anyone or anything he had ever faced before...to consume the newest culinary creation of a certain Tendo Akane one of his three fiancée's. As this particular creation hovered right there in front of his face, steaming. It's wafts of steam rising just lingering above the piping hot dish. It didn't burn thru the pot, didn't smell like a toxic dump but instead it looked like it was edible but still Ranma's instincts were going crazy. It kept on telling him to stay away form it as far away as he could from the concoction. Ranma was never one not to listen to his trusted gut feeling so he began to run as fast as he could away from the so-called meal. "Come on!!!" Akane cried as she chased him around the dinner table. During this whole time the whole household who had gathered for dinner were just contented to play the innocent bystanders in this affair. And at that particular moment as fate would have it Soun and Genma hatched up another one of their clever schemes to help quicken pace of the union of both martial art houses by interfering again.  
  
The two elder men got up grabbed Ranma while he was to busy looking behind his back they held him tight and slowed him down to allow Akane to catch up. Akane seeing that Ranma had been trapped she slowed down and was creakingly approaching Ranma like a predator to a stricken prey.Ranma's sweat beaded from his face as the figure holding the bowl full of her 'special stew' came into focus and soon was right in front of him smiling. Ranma didn't even try to speak but he kept his mouth solidly shut for once as he thought better to curse mentally then verbally attack Akane as to reduce risk of being having the highly vile substance stuffed down inside him. So as the group stood their staring at each other Ranma pitifully hopeless face tried to look around for help. He didn't need it but wanted so much to have someone speak up for his sake. He had been through so much of Akane's cooking and suffered by them that he should by now at least have someone show pity on him. He looked beside him at his father's face Tendo Soun's face and then stared around at the dinner table. Nabiki showed no visible signs of even wanting to help him and then finally the last person he could turn to for help.Kasumi.  
  
"Ranma.if it makes you feel better I did give Akane a hand during the whole time while she was preparing it.I think you could at least give it a try.for me.at least please?" voiced the eldest of the three Tendo sisters. Ranma's mind and instincts still told him to free himself and run away to safety by any means he could but Kasumi's words asking him to at least taste the stew for her sake broke his adamant will. So as Ranma slowly opened his mouth a little his eyes closed not even wanting to see what he knew was coming. This little gesture was the opening that the two fathers who were still grabbing onto the poor pig-tailed boy's arms were waiting for and with swift hands and hooked fingers they suddenly grab Ranma's mouth by its edges and pull it like if they were in a tug of war.each one pulling and stretching Ranma's mouth wide open.  
  
A more then willing Akane quickly poured the entire rather large bowl of stew down the mouth of a wide-eyed Ranma. Gulp by gulp the taste of all the ingredients that went into the stew were there to be tasted.salt, pepper, onions, meat and one slightly sharp taste. That particular sharp taste began to build up in volume through Ranma's taste buds as they and his brain came to sync. Once Ranma's brain had deciphered what signals his taste buds were telling it then no sooner did it totally shut down and blacked out all his senses. The pig-tailed boy came crashing down to the floor amidst screams of "Come on its not that bad.!" from the cook and a gasp of "Oh my" that had escaped out from the lips of a certain Tendo daughter.  
  
Ranma's eyes slowly began to crack open.he never felt so tired and in so much pain before. He winced as he shifted his body ever so lightly even through all the battles with his rivals and fiancées and all the beatings he got from Akane he never felt this much suffering. His eyes scanned the ceiling "Not my room" his mind echoed. He then looked around to his left and noticed an empty hospital type bed with the metal posts and white sheets. "Hospital" his mind went and then he looked to his right and saw a figure sitting down near beside his bed her head laid down on the small hospital side table. Ranma noticed from the window seeing the night sky from the partiality drawn curtain that it was late in the night. "Ka.sumi." Ranma whispered as he registered the sleeping long brown haired girl to be Tendo Kasumi. Hearing Ranma whispering her name "Ranma you're awake..I'm so glad." Kasumi gasped as she sat up and leaned closer to Ranma's face. "Why am I here? And what happened to me?" Ranma asked his eyes still barely open as he slowly turned to look towards Kasumi. Kasumi tried to smile at first but her smile slowly melted into a little frown "Ranma you're in Nerima General Hospital.You passed out straight after you ate that bowl of Akane's stew.while unconscious you were turning green and then started vomiting and began to shake violently.I was worried so I called the ambulance and well the doctors.they had to pump your stomach out. After their investigation of what they took out of your stomach they found huge amounts of kerosene inside your stomach." she paused to gently wipe away the sweat from Ranma's forehead.  
  
"Kerosene.how did that get into me?" he whispered. "Akane's stew.when I went back to check on the bottle of kerosene I had kept inside the cupboard it was almost empty.Akane must have mistaken it for vinegar." "I though you were there.you said you were there..Kasumi.." Ranma moaned as he slowly turned to face her. "I did Ranma but I had to pick up the ringing phone and I had only left her for about five minutes..Ranma oh I'm so sorry..please forgive me. I know that I shouldn't have left Akane alone and because of my carelessness you're now lying here on a hospital bed.." Tears by now had begun to stream down Kasumi's face as she tried to hide it from Ranma's view. "It's ok Kasumi.I'm not blaming you." as he stretched his arm out to touch her hand "How long have I been here and where are the rest.?" He asked weakly "The rest are back home.the hospital only allows one family member to stay overnight.so I volunteered to stay with you.the doctors are having you admitted for a week and I should take the responsibility for taking care of you while you're here. I'm partly to blame for you being here." Kasumi began to trail off her voice cracking.  
  
"Kasumi.don't blame yourself ok please.look on the bright side at least I'll get to skip school for a week and don't need to worry about Akane's cooking.the hospital food can't be as bad as hers right?" Ranma jokingly remarked before he started to cough quite badly. Kasumi straight away took a glass and quickly poured him some water from his bedside jug. Kasumi gently helped Ranma to lift his head up to the cup he began to slowly drink. "Thanks..Kasumi" Ranma whispered as he gently laid back his head into his pillow. "Ranma.err..I have some bad news to tell you it's about your school work.I sort of already asked Akane to get your teacher to assign you your weeks worth of class work in lieu of your absence." Kasumi innocently smile. Ranma after hearing this moaned deeply and painfully a long moan as he sunk into his bed and buried his head under his blanket.  
  
"Ranma are you ok? Should I call the nurse?" gasped Kasumi as she rushed over to his bed. "I'm fine Kasumi considering what I've been through I'll live.just that I had heart set for a little break from boring school." sighed Ranma. "Ranma.school is important for someone your age and a little homework won't kill you." Kasumi gently chided. "Yeah I know compared to Akane's cooking a year's worth of homework is bearable.hehehe" Ranma joked. Kasumi couldn't help but giggle along to Ranma's joke "If it's ok with you since I'll be here most of the time with you I could be your tutor and help you along with your studies.if you don't mind" Ranma kind off like the idea so he just nodded his head in approval. He just thought that since things are already that bad.things can't get any worst for him.  
  
"Come on this is impossible." Ranma sighed. Looking at the tons of homework he had piled before him on his little hospital table. There he was lying on the hospital bed into the second day of his hospital stay and since he had practically slept through the first one so he expected that the second day to be a day of peaceful rest.how wrong he was. When Ranma woke up, he saw in front of him the piles of exercise books that had been passed on to Kasumi by Akane. Ranma sat back up bowed his head and sighed.he took the first book atop the pile and to his surprise it was his worst subject Math. He had only gone through the first page before he flopped back onto his bed. He decided to take a walk around the ward he thought his legs needed the exercise. As Ranma walked around the ward the younger nurses just giggled as he walked passed them, the younger nurses were taken in by the pig-tailed boy as most other young girls would be but he didn't exactly know why they were giggling like they did. "Mr. Saotome you shouldn't be moving around you've haven't fully recover from the effects of the food poisoning." warned an older nurse who had seen him staring out of the visitors window. "Your fiancée left us strict instructions that you stay in bed and recuperate." she continued. "My fiancée?" Ranma wondered. Ranma hadn't seen Akane yet and he knew that she wouldn't give a hoot what happened to him so he sort of wondered who else knew he was here. True he hadn't seen Shampoo or Ukyou either yet but he was already mentally prepared to face them by simply playing sick and just sleeping through their visit.  
  
With the nurse walking behind him making sure he went back to bed, Ranma somewhat begrudgingly returned to his room to find a rather worried Kasumi sitting inside it waiting for him. "Ranma, where have you been? You had me worried there for a moment.you're in no condition to be walking around the hospital." Kasumi's tone was soft but yet was strong enough to let Ranma know that she was angry at him. As she led Ranma back to his bed Ranma tried hard to think of an excuse to relief Kasumi's anger at him. "Oh Kasumi.I was just bored of the homework and I needed the walk to loosen my legs.." He grinningly complained. Kasumi didn't say much but just stared at him. That look in itself made Ranma stop his complaining and instinctively reached out for one of his textbooks and began to read it. "Ranma I know that you're a little bored being stuck in here but if you waste your energy doing unnecessary things you won't heal in time ok." Kasumi sighed as she sat beside him trying to look at his progress on his homework.  
  
The two of them began to spend the better half of their mornings dealing with Algebra and History. "Ah!!!!!! This is giving me a headache!!!" exclaimed Ranma as he fell back onto his hospital pillow. Kasumi just smiled and gave him a pat on his head as she brought out of her bag a little bento. "A little reward for my hardworking student?" she smiled as she handed it to Ranma. Ranma eyes glowed in excitement as he took the bento from her hands. Ranma had been deprived of 'normal' food for 3 days now and he was rather looking forward to see what Kasumi had made for him. He wasn't going to be disappointed as he slowly unwrap the bento to reveal a small feast of rice, radish and gingered steamed meat. Ranma quickly gulped the meal down "Thanks Kasumi.you're a real lifesaver." smiled Ranma as he handed back the box to Kasumi. "Don't tell the doctor that I gave you that ok." she giggled as she returned the empty bento box into her bag. "Cheez...she sure is cute when she giggles.." He silently thought for a few silent moments before he quickly shook it off his mind once he realized that she was his fiancée's older sister. "Anything wrong Ranma?" asked Kasumi as she saw Ranma's facial expression suddenly change. "Nothing.its okay" he replied.  
  
"Shall we continue then?" Kasumi smiled at her weary student. Ranma felt that he didn't want to disappoint Kasumi since she had packed the bento for him so he went all out to try to do as much homework as he could. "Kasumi you sure do know a lot of things.I mean I wouldn't have known you were that smart.err not saying your not smart.I mean if you hadn't been my tutor.I mean.you should have gone on to study further" Ranma clearly struggling for words would have continued on but he stopped half way as he saw Kasumi's face dropped down a little. Deep inside Kasumi's heart she had hoped to be able to continue her studies all those times ago but she just couldn't. She gave that up for her promise to her mother to take care of her family and her home. So the two figures sat there in the hospital room one staring at the other not daring to break the unwary silence between them. Ranma broke the silence for them. "I'm sorry Kasumi I didn't mean to bring that up." Kasumi smiled weakly at Ranma at first but her 'always positive attitude' mode kicked in and she smiled a happier smile to put him at ease. Ranma knew that this was just a show but he took it at face value "Kasumi shall be get back to our session?" he smiled. Kasumi nodded her approval and the two of them continued on with their little study. Ranma was face deep into his Math book when he decided to look up and a smile grew on his face. They were so into studying that the two of them had lost track of time and by now it was already late evening. Kasumi had fallen asleep by the side of the bed, her face resting on her hands and she looked so at peace. "She must have been tired." Ranma whispered to himself as he got up and gently carried the still sleeping Kasumi onto his bed and tucked her in. "I'll be ok on the floor."  
  
"Sis.when is Kasumi coming back home??" asked a voice as she sipped her cup of tea. "Well Akane I wouldn't know.if Ranma relapses back into his condition it could be another week.it's YOUR fault in the first place that he's there you know.how could you mistook kerosene with vinegar.Kami only knows." sighed Nabiki. "You don't have to push that fact into my face you know sis.I've already been banned from the kitchen by Kasumi and dad for a full year." as Akane stared into her tea. Kasumi wasn't missed that much as she had done the entire regular house chores already but just earlier then before. She would wash the laundry in the mornings rather then the afternoons and make breakfast and dinner at the same time which she would put the latter into the fridge so the family would just have to reheat it up to eat. After she has made sure that all the things are in order only then would she leave the Tendo home and take the morning bus to the hospital. She made sure she was always in time to get into Ranma's room before Ranma would wake up from his medication. But unknowing to the hard working Kasumi that Ranma since the second day of his hospital stay already knew that she would wake up before six and catch the first morning bus back home to do her household duties then rush back here.that's why he would always wake up only after 10am.  
  
Kasumi slowly opened her eyes and upon feeling her face resting on a pillow with a blanket over her she sat up "Where's Ranma?" she silently thought. Looking around the rather dark room she finally found him sleeping on the floor beside the bed.his head and upper body resting on the small cupboard and his arms folded in his chest. "He looks so calm when his asleep.no wonder he sleeps like the dead." Kasumi smiled lightly as she took the blanket from the other bed and draped it over the sleeping boy. The aforementioned boy lightly showed a smile as Kasumi cover him to his neck with the blanket. The feeling of her touch catching his neck and seeing him smile caused her to jump back a little and blush. Her mind was in overdrive to come up with an excuse to tell Ranma just in case he woke up. A few moments passed and his eyes were still closed but his smile still remain there.this made Kasumi wonder what could make Ranma smile in his sleep.she would soon get her answer while she was right in the process of pulling the blanket up a little further up to cover his neck. "Mmmmm..thanks for the nice dinner.as always delicious.I'm so happy that I married you..Kasumi." Ranma mumbled under his gentle snores. "Oh my." Kasumi blushingly let out a soft yelp and pulled herself back as she heard what Ranma had just mumbled out amidst his sleep into her ears just moments ago when she was a mere breathe away from his lips.  
  
Kasumi just laid there on the bed her mind astir with thoughts.mostly about a certain sleeping boy. Kasumi was now actually lying on her side, her face facing the sleeping Ranma. The past few days spent outside of the house were relaxing to her she needed the fresh air anyway she thought she had always yearned for something else to do other then the norms of her routine life. Ranma's little hospital stay was a distraction that she sort of welcome but wouldn't wish it to happen again though, she sighed a little as her misty gray eyes focused on the image of the calm sleeping Ranma. Always so tensed while awake but always so subdued in his sleep. The actual truth was other then being able to venture outside the Tendo home walls she sort of also welcomed the little fact that she was spending a lot more time together with Ranma.  
  
All the previous times she had spent with him only came at dinner time, the occasional words of advice and while she was helping him tend to his wounds. In the past 3 days she had found him to be a total opposite of what she had a first thought him to be since he had came into her life as a young red-haired girl. He still lacked a few finer points but Ranma turned out to be a rather nice guy she thought.he helped others who needed help, he was humble when it came for praises to be lavished on him and he was most of all honest "A little too honest." thought Kasumi giggling at the fact that Ranma's over honesty always landed him in so much trouble.  
  
It was still dark outside but Ranma was awoken by a rather urgent call of nature which he replied.he cursed the liquid diet that he was on which was the main cause of his rather many nightly trips made to the washroom. He was about to resume his slumber but he couldn't help smiling at the sight that he could see under the small night lamp that was still on. Smiling in her sleep and facing him was Kasumi.her smile simply angelic and the features of her face with that smile etched on it was almost goddess like. Ranma just stared at the image of beauty and sighed. "Why can't you be engaged to me instead.I wouldn't mind waking up and be greeting by you in the mornings..." Ranma quickly chided himself for that thought "Ranma! Kasumi is Akane's older sister for Kami sake." he thought as he tried to get back to sleep. The dreams he had been dreaming of about Kasumi lately about her cooking and him actually being married to Kasumi didn't help him much either.  
  
"Alright Mr. Saotome you've seemed to have made a rather speedy recover so I don't see any reasons to keep you here any longer you may leave as soon as the paperwork is done." said the doctor who had been attending to Ranma for 5 days. So as Ranma packed his clothes and a few toiletries that Kasumi had brought for him into his knapsack his room door opened. "Ranma your packing?" cried a voice. The voice belonged to a rather flushed Kasumi's who had rushed to return after doing the whole Tendo household chores in least then 4 hours. "Yeah.Kasumi the doctor said that I'm alright now and I can go back home.I'm glad I'm getting out anyway.I can finally get to enjoy your cooking again.I can't wait to get home for dinner." grinned Ranma who at the thought of tasting Kasumi's cooking almost mirrored on ecstasy. Kasumi couldn't help but blush at the last comment and was about to say something when Ranma's doctor came back into the room again. "Ah Miss Kasumi I'm glad you're here.I was about to call Ranma's father to come over to sign the release papers but since you're here and since your his fiancée that makes you family so if you wouldn't mind signing the papers."  
  
+Crash+  
  
Ranma was about to get his knapsack but upon hearing the doctors' words of fiancée and Kasumi in the same sentence he missed his bag completely and had overshot the bag. He ended up crashing into the small hospital table his whole body had gone over the small movable tray and he landed on the floor. Ranma quickly sat up and tried to regain himself but he found himself now staring up at the doctor and a wide-eyed Kasumi. Kasumi quickly signed the Ranma's release papers and kneeled down to Ranma's side "Are you ok Ranma? What happened?" Kasumi asked with a hint of worry in her voice. "Fiancée.Kasumi.you too?" he uttered as Ranma stared blankly at Kasumi. "I'm sorry Ranma.I had to tell the doctors that I was your fiancée so they would allow me to stay overnight with you.Akane didn't want to she didn't even tried to visit you here for fear of aggravating your condition and I don't need to tell you about Nabiki. I told Shampoo and Ukyou that you had went for a training trip in the forest and wouldn't be back till next week. I just felt that someone should be here with you and that someone should be me since I was the one to blame for your condition.." Kasumi was still whispery explaining when she felt a finger coming in contact with her lips affectively silencing her.  
  
Kasumi blushed lightly at the gentle touch of her lips and was still sporting the blush when Ranma helped her up to her feet. The two figures remained silent over the whole trip back from the hospital to the Tendo home. While walking the short journey back from the bus station they both paused momentarily and stood in front of the Tendo entrance "Kasumi.I.ummmm..just wanted to say thanks.for staying with me at the hospital and tutoring me.I really appreciated that." Ranma didn't really know how to thank Kasumi at first and he thought that simply thanking her with words wasn't gonna cut it so he went over to her and pulled her into a gentle sincere short hug. Kasumi was shocked at first and wanted to pull away but she suddenly found herself molding into his embrace and gently hugged him back. After that short sweet moment which to them seemed an eternity they pulled apart "Kasumi since I'm still technically on vacation I thought that I maybe I could help you around the house a bit?" smiled Ranma as this was all he could think up of to thank Kasumi for all she's done. Kasumi first wanted to refuse but she thought "Since it's going to be only for two days it shouldn't be a problem." so she nodded.  
  
Ranma sat himself comfortably down at the dinner table and was looking down at his home cooked dinner.a bowl of chicken porridge and a side dish of fresh lightly salted cabbage. He stared a puzzled look at Kasumi who answered him with her bright smile. Ranma sort of guessed that she still wasn't sure that Ranma's weaken stomach could handle any heavy foods so she had specially made this for him. He surprisingly found that the porridge was full of flavor it wasn't to rich but not too bland. Ranma ate it wholeheartedly admists constant bombardments of questions of how did the hospital stay go and other questions from his father and the eldest Tendo. Akane stared at Ranma and smirked "I wondered if he did anything perverted to the nurses and if he had made a nuisance to himself to the innocent female patients in the hospital and most importantly did he take advantage of my sister". "NO! I didn't take advantage of Kasumi.I respect her too much unlike you uncute tomboy I have no respect for." shouted Ranma while staring back at Akane almost standing up in the process but he quickly calmed down and sat back down when he caught Kasumi looking at him.  
  
He could see that her eyes were asking him to stand down and telling him that he was doing something wrong."I'm sorry.Akane." he moaned. The apology came as a shock to Akane who was about to mallet Ranma but sat back down upon hearing Ranma's somewhat sincere apology.her aura still shone a bright red but it slowly subsided as dinner continued in peace. Ranma was now able to sort off read Kasumi's true expressions through her eyes even she had said nothing her eyes had shown him otherwise. Ranma upon careful observation for the past 5 days while she was tutoring him and talking to him Ranma was able to read Kasumi's true actual response to a situation rather then her projected muted response by watching her eyes. He could see her eyes react in a different way to a variety of different situations.a slight enlargement and constriction of her irises .her eyes at dinner had asked him to try and stand down and so he did. After that little incident Ranma returned to his porridge but stole a look at Kasumi whose eyes now projected through her expressionless face an image of pride, she was proud of him for standing down from the conflict.  
  
Ranma later joined Kasumi in the kitchen to help her with the dishes "Thanks. Ranma for not getting into a fight with Akane just now." smiled Kasumi as she handed him a plate to dry. "Oh that.Kasumi well.It's nothing I sort of had a feeling that you didn't want to see me fighting with her so I backed off." replied Ranma while rubbing the back his head. Kasumi stood in awe at his response.was it her or did Ranma managed to read her mind at that moment. Ranma's voice calling to her brought her back to her current situation. "Kasumi.you ok??" Ranma asked. Kasumi smiled her ever-present smile at him and the two continued on with the dishes. Later that night everyone was sound asleep in the Tendo home except for two lone figures whose eyes were both staring at their room ceilings.  
  
Ranma's mind was focusing on working out what his feeling were about Kasumi. "Come on Ranma.you can't be seriously thinking about her like that!" his subconscious self shouted to 'the other side of him' whom had just thought of how good it had felt to be hugging Kasumi just a few hours ago. Feeling her in his arms and feeling the faint yet racing heartbeat of hers against his chest. Kasumi's thoughts weren't that far off from Ranma's "Has it been that long since I've had a man in my life?" she thought as she had not for the first time found herself replaying certain events back in her mind and guiltily enjoying them.those events mostly involved Ranma and her. She blushed ever so deeper when she found that she had been particularly 'replaying' one moment over and over in her head.the moment when she felt him take her into his arms. As innocent as it was to Kasumi it was in truth the first time in a long time since any man had held her in an embrace.  
  
Kasumi didn't think of Ranma like someone to love like love the way a man and woman should love. When Ranma came in to her life that day he was a she and well that was just something that she needed to get use to. And in truth Kasumi did get use to it each day as Ranma would constantly get into trouble and needed help Kasumi would find herself there to help the boy out. From the smallest cut to the biggest puzzle of life he had she would help him solve, heal and make it clear for him. Transiently the two of them had shared a lot between themselves it just wasn't clear for them that's all. If they really thought hard about it they would see that their lives were as interwoven within each other as complex as Ranma's relationship with his other fiancées.  
  
The moon was still high and both Ranma and Kasumi were thinking hard about themselves and what they meant to each other. "How did it come to this?" the two sleepless figures asked themselves in the midst of the silent night. The two of them thought long and hard and finally came to realize how much actually they had been apart of each other's life. But they both knew that they couldn't possibility dare to or want to admit that little fact to each other. There were too many external factors that would influence both Ranma and Kasumi's decision to remain silent about what their hearts were feeling. But the most obvious one was Akane.Kasumi as the older sister to Akane couldn't bring it in her heart to hurt her like that while Ranma even though he didn't show it he still had feelings for Akane. But his own heart was telling him that his true feeling now lay with Kasumi and not her.  
  
For a week now Ranma and Kasumi were trying their best to act as 'normal' as they could be. It was hard for them really to get back to where they were originally it was hard to be 'normal' after their time at the hospital. But thankfully to the outside the two of them were acting 'normal' it's just when Ranma and Kasumi get a few minutes alone they get a little uneasy. It was like that day when Ranma had returned back to the Dojo and Kasumi was readying dinner. She didn't notice that Ranma had returned and was busily stirring the pot of hot Miso while reminiscing about the few moments that she had with him. "Kasumi.what's for dinner?" Ranma innocently asked her. This took Kasumi totally out of surprise and while blushing furiously she quickly turned away trying not to let Ranma see her blush like that. But her apron string had caught hold of the boiling pot's handle and was dangerously of tipping over onto Kasumi's arm and apron. Ranma catching this quickly grabbed Kasumi and pulled her safely but that can't be said of Ranma. The pot did tip over but instead of scalding Kasumi it scalded Ranma's left arm leaving it raw and red. Ranma ever trying to be the brave boy hid the pain and showed Kasumi a brave face.  
  
Kasumi was pale when she saw Ranma's arm like that it pained her heart so much that she was the cause of it. Her mind racing and heart both racing she quickly took Ranma's scaled arm and ran it over the open tap of cold water. Ranma was rather a little uneasy with Kasumi holding his arm the way she did.Kasumi was so gentle with his arm. She used both her hands to guide the injured arm slowly across the stream of cold water that soothe the pain little by little. "Ranma.I'm so sorry.I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing.this is the second time I've hurt you in some way." Kasumi's voice was getting frail and distant as she was trying hard to fight the tears that were coming out. Ranma upon seeing her tears streaming down Kasumi's cheek tried his best to comfort her "Kasumi.don't cry please.it's not your fault.I was too slow to pull my arm away in time. So please Kasumi.seeing you cry is way more painful that this little burn on my arm." Kasumi heard this but she didn't know how to make of it as Ranma's words were so confusing to her.  
  
"Kasumi these past few days we've been sort of distant and quiet to each other.I was wondering did I do something wrong??" Ranma asked. Kasumi wanted to answer him but she didn't know how.how to answer a question that you yourself didn't know how to answer without hurting someone you love. So Ranma took her silence as a sort of temporary answer and didn't press it on Kasumi any further. Instead the two silently watched each other as Kasumi helped bandage up Ranma's arm so it won't get infected. After that she poured him some tea and continued to try to make dinner for the rest. But seeing that the miso now lay in a puddle on the floor and dinner wouldn't be complete without miso soup Kasumi decided to order take out. Now the Dojo being in a state of rather needing of funds Kasumi could only order food from one place.or rather one person. "Nihau." Shampoo voice rang over the phone as much as Kasumi hate to use Ranma's name like that but Shampoo would often give 50% off for a rather large Ramen take out order if it was for them.  
  
Kasumi just had enough time to make some side dishes to compliment the noodles. As each member of the household gathered for dinner at the usual time they were surprised to see just the few side dishes and chopsticks in place. "I thought we'd order takeout today." smiled Kasumi. One side effect of ordering from Shampoo was the company that came along with the takeout. "Nihau Airen!!!" rang Shampoo's bubbly voice as she jumped into the dining room her steel container in her left hand and managing to half glomp Ranma in the process with the other. Akane was throwing a fit scolding Ranma for openly flirting with his other fiancée while Ranma was doing his best to fight the glomp off. Normally he would have no problem but he was only using he good left hand so it took a little more effort. Nobody noticed that little fact other then Kasumi as Ranma was hiding the bandages under his sleeves.  
  
"Ahem.Shampoo please can you let go of Ranma.you are here to deliver our dinner..." hinted Kasumi with a polite stern tone. "Yes Shampoo here to deliver Shampoo special bowls of Ramen to Airen and Airen's family.maybe soon become Shampoo family." Shampoo winked at Genma who was in his usual Panda form and he quickly whipped out a sign saying 'I didn't do anything'. The dinner was a loud affair most of the dinner was spent trying not to lose your dinner if you weren't the main members of the dinner entertainment. Shampoo kept on flirting with Ranma and Akane was trying to hit Ranma for letting Shampoo do so to him. Everyone was glad that dinner ended without much damage to the dining room so as Kasumi started to wash up the dishes Ranma decided to lend her a hand. Ranma's volunteering was more down to getting himself free from Shampoo and Akane then anything else.  
  
Ranma was actually more of a spectator then helping Kasumi wash the dishes as his arm was still giving him problems. At least that was what the excuse Kasumi gave him when he asked her if he could be of any help. She was actually a little glad that Ranma had in between him a little distance from Shampoo who didn't let go of Ranma for an instant during dinner. This in the past wouldn't be much of a problem for Kasumi but she was finding it hard to see Shampoo that close to Ranma. She felt her heart twinge each time Shampoo glomped him or flirted openly with Ranma. She didn't want to admit or dwell on that for she had suffered all week by trying to avoid Ranma. Everyday instances where she would normally do the little things for him were getting to her. Like handing over his school Bento she had instead of giving it to him personally she would just hand it to Akane along with hers and asked her to pass it to him. But she would absent mindedly put extra bits of meat or fish only for him as she knew of his large appetite and his love for her cooking.  
  
Still hiding his bandaged arm from view he sat under his favorite tree and took out his Bento and happily stared at it. Kasumi's food wasn't fancy or unique but it was to him as tasty as any fancy restaurant food and a plus was it was simple. "Not feeling hungry?" asked a voice beside him. "Or would you like something else for a change other then a plain Bento." The voice continued. The voice belonged to Ranma's childhood friend Ukyou. Ukyou had sat herself down beside Ranma and while staring at him she was readying herself to prepare a few of her special okonomiyakis for him. "There's no need for that Ukyou.I've got more then enough from what Kasumi had made for me." he replied. Ukyou felt a little sad at first but was still hopeful that Ranma might change his mind. So she decided to prepare one okonomiyaki for Ranma just in case. "Ranma is it me or has Kasumi's Bento for you gotten bigger lately?" Ukyou asked.  
  
Ranma not wanting to draw any suspicions to Kasumi just said that recently there were a lot of leftovers from last night's dinner as his father had disappeared to go off somewhere. After finishing up Kasumi's bento lunch Ranma also ate Ukyou's okonomiyaki just to make her happy and maybe get her off his case for a while. Ranma later learnt that his afternoon session was canceled so that left him no other choice but to go home early. He was sort of hesitant at first but slowly and surely he began to walk back to the Dojo. Akane that afternoon having a sport club session to attend had stayed behind and stared silently as she looked on Ranma slowly walking out of the school compound. "Akane.is everything alright with Ranma?" Ukyou asked while she also stared down to see Ranma head bowed slowly walk out of the school compound.  
  
Shampoo hiding behind a small bush had long noticed that Ranma wasn't his usual self since last week. She only decided to do something now and as soon as Ranma was far enough from school she would put her plan into action.  
  
The End  
  
* Please wait for the next installment* Arigato. 


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